Motorized points

Trucks

Extended Coupler

This page is a catchall page for things that don't fit anywhere else. Things like motorized points, truck design, automated crossing, etc...

We all want to be able to control our layouts remotely, so here is my take on the direct drive motorized point. I have decide to stop using this design. Apparently, I left a motor in a stalled state when I put the motor away and that motor does not work anymore.

Truck design. Well, I changed my truck design again. I decided that I needed more empty space between the trucks, so I made the trucks a bit smaller. I don't have any pictures yet, but here are a few MLCAD screen shots. If you would like to see some slightly larger screen shots or a picture of how the coupler works, you can go here. This coupler works well on a nice, level surface, but if the surface is uneven, the couplers can lift the trucks up and down as the train goes over the uneven surfaces. So, I would use this coupler design only if your trains absolutely require the additional strength.

		This truck is the improved design for my 8-wide SD40-2. It is actually the third design, but the second design had the same clearance problem that the first design had. You can go here to see some directions. ".dat" file of pivoting truck is here.
		This six wheeled truck was featured with the 6-wide SD40-2 (You will have to use your browser's back button to get back here). Instead of allowing a wheelset to pivot, the middle wheelset can slide from side to side. ".dat" files of a truck with a floating wheelset with 1 stud between wheelsets and of a truck with a floating wheelset with 2 studs between wheelsets.

Some models require a coupler that is not directly attached to a truck. To allow cars to make it around the sharp corners the couplers need to pivot while the car was being pulled, but the coupler also needs to stay straight when the car was being pushed. Here is my try at a self-centering extended coupler.

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Buildings	Bridges	Train Sets	Technology you are here	Vehicles

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